While at the gym watching TV, a segment aired on last weekend’s Oscar awards. I was fuming. Before congratulating themselves for two-plus hours on TV, the Hollywood elite are given something called a swag bag worth over $100,000.

Included in that gift are first-class trips to Tanzania, Hawaii and Greece, among a long list of other incredibly upscale, very expensive items that most people could never afford.

Honored again, at a gourmet dinner that most people could not even imagine. The most expensive wine and a course that is covered in edible gold. These are the same people who tell me how to vote, and who disrespect our president ad nauseam. At least respect the office, can you?

Gun control is big, but do they not have body guards who carry weapons? Open all borders to anyone who wants to come here, legally or not, it doesn’t matter.

This same group of Hollywood elites live in mansions with 10-foot walls. It’s sad that the term “entertainer” has been forever changed — and notfor the better.

Denise Guerriere, Lumberton

Seniors will suffer when pensions can’t get paid

Talk about something ridiculous, the premise of the Burlington County Times article (Friday, March 2) on the pension accounting change is about as good as it gets. Changing the anticipated earnings rate on the pension funds in order to reduce the obligations of the state and municipalities is somehow being passed off as being “more responsible.”

Inflated interest rates used in these calculations do nothing but cover up the inadequacies of the underlying funds and will allow the state to make a smaller payment. This action is being taken so that Gov. Phil Murphy can spend more money elsewhere without having to raise the taxes necessary to fund the expenditures. Hardly “responsible.”

Everyone nearing retirement knows that the general rule is if you take more than 4 percent per year out of your retirement funds, you will likely run out of money. New Jersey has been using inflated interest rates for many years in order to be able to underfund its pension obligations, and this change is just more of the same.

The modest reduction of one-half of a percentage point was essentially a token act, but it was something. Eventually, the young people of this state will suffer when the shortfall becomes completely unworkable, and the seniors will suffer when their pensions can’t be paid.

Responsible, indeed. Perhaps to someone who is not in touch with the real world, like our governor.

Tom Friedberg, Medford

Opinion letters can cut both ways

One thing I do not think everyone realizes when they submit letters or Vents is that they may wind up hurting their own cause — at least with some voters.

For instance, in just the past few weeks, I have read that President Donald Trump is worse than Adolf Hitler (Feb. 5), is associated with “the blood of civil rights marchers” and “innocent children killed in the Alabama church bombing” (Feb. 9), and is somehow unfit for office because he does not have a pet dog (Jan. 30).

I have seen suggestions that Congressman Tom MacArthur wants “poor people living in the streets” (Feb. 8) and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is Trump’s pet (Jan. 30) — and by the way, if someone had written in suggesting that a Democratic woman was a pet, I am sure the left would call this sexism.

I also read that “any evangelical … supporting Trump … is … fake to their faith” (Feb. 4). When letter writer Joyce Delp argued otherwise (Feb. 12), her position was grossly distorted and she was personally attacked (Feb. 20) for supposedly holding the position that the author on Feb. 4 actually did hold — that Christians can “only reside on one side of the political aisle.”

And I read that members of Congress — and presumably any others who disagree with the left on gun control — have the blood of the Florida school shooting victims on their hands, and had better not pray for them (Feb. 23).

Hmmm.

You know, I really wanted to try to explain further why this rhetoric pushes me away, but if you do not already understand, I probably lack the skill to explain it to you.

For anyone interested in better understanding the polarization of our society, I strongly recommend “This Video Will Make You Angry” by CGP Gray on YouTube.

Joshua Kramer, Chesterfield

Op-ed page astonishing and perplexing

The op-ed page on Friday, March 2, was both astonishing and perplexing. I was astonished to read a negative editorial on the subject of President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum less than 24 hours after he surprised both Congress and the stock market of his plan.

Then, there were three Vents printed, two bashing Trump and the third beating up on our congressman, Tom MacArthur.

Moving to the letters section, which got the largest allocation of space I can recall in months, and after reading them, it became obvious why. There were four letters printed. Three criticized MacArthur on a variety of subjects, confirming that the Burlington County Times is deep in the tank for 3rd Congressional District candidate Andy Kim. The fourth was titled, "Help us eradicate colon cancer," which I read carefully, twice to confirm that neither Trump nor McArthur was blamed for the disease.

E.W. Boyle, Cinnaminson

No good reason to own certain weapons

I propose that our federal government do a mandatory recall of certain types of assault weapons, for example, and not to be specific and all-inclusive: the AR-15, variations of the M-16 and other similar weapons. These weapons are mainly meant for military and law enforcement applications.

To say this is or may be a violation of Second Amendment rights, I say hogwash. Americans would still be permitted to own other weapons. We already cannot legally possess certain weaponry: nuclear weapons, M-60 machine guns, chemical and biological weapons.

To say the fed could not outlaw and recall certain weapons, remember it made it illegal to own gold and recalled it in the 1930s.

A weapon recall could be done in an orderly fashion, such as a voluntary repurchase program to take place over two years, with owners being fairly compensated for their weapon.

Again, there is no good reason for Americans to own certain type weapons.

Salvatore J. Fonte, Pemberton Township

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